In computer networking, xinetd, the eXtended InterNET Daemon, is an open-source daemon which runs on many Unix systems and manages Internet-based connectivity. It offers a more secure extension to or version of inetd, the Internet daemon.
xinetd features access control mechanisms such as TCP Wrapper ACLs, extensive logging capabilities, and the ability to make services available based on time. It can place limits on the number of servers that the system can start, and has deployable defence mechanisms to protect against port scanners, among other things.
On some implementations of Mac OS X, this daemon starts and maintains various Internet-related services, including FTP and telnet. As an extended form of inetd, it offers enhanced security. It replaced inetd in Mac OS X v10.3, and subsequently launchd replaced it in Mac OS X v10.4. However, Apple has retained inetd for compatibility purposes.
